354 ANNUAL REPORT 



and are ripe; then in a week or so to go over them again, gather- 

 ing those that have ripened, letting those in the shade and on 

 the under side of the trees stay till they are ripe. One needs to 

 exercise care that they do not get too ripe, for I think here is 

 where we sometimes make a serious mistake. 



Again, if we gather all the apples on a tree at the same time, 

 especially the Wealthy, about one-third of them will usually be 

 found to be too ripe to keep for any considerable length of time, 

 while another third will be so green as to lack in flavor. 



I prefer putting my apples in a cool, dry cellar, as soon as 

 gathered. My cellar has a thick stone wall outside and is lined 

 on the inside with one thickness of brick, with some two inches 

 of air space between the walls. 



I have kept Wealthy and McMahon White apples in my cel- 

 lar, in good condition, until well into the summer months. 



EEPOET FROM FEEEBORN COUXTY. 



By Clarence Wedge, Albert Lea. 



My report as inember of the General Fruit Committee can not 

 rank with the reports of those who make the growing of fruits 

 and flowers a specialty, but must rather be considered as the ob- 

 servations of one who, although keenly interested in horticul- 

 ture, depends for his livelihood upon the general products of the 

 farm. 



The seedling orchards of this county have proved a complete 

 failure. I have seen and heard of a great many seedlings but do 

 not know of one that to-day is worthy of mention. Indeed of 

 standard apples there is but one that stands the test of time and 

 is everywhere a success, and that is the Duchess. 



And now, since we have no way of judging of the future but 

 by the past, and since in the past everything of value has come 

 to us from Russia, will it not be wise in us to pin our faith to 

 that noble list of apples which has lately come to us from the 

 "Upper Mississippi Valley" of Europe? 



This endless experimenting without results is wearing.out the 

 patience of our planters. Some of these new Eussians are pretty 

 well out of the experimental stage even in this country. Why 

 should we not accept the work of centuries which the Musco- 

 vite has sent to us, and with this firm foundation go on improv- 

 ing? 



